From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
A tall herb, Anethum graveolens, with feathery green leaves, which originated in Central Asia and belongs to the same family as parsley. The Romans praised it for its fortifying qualities, and food given to the gladiators was covered with it. The Romans brought it to Great Britain, and it then made its way to Gaul and the rest of the Roman Empire. Dill was one of the herbs used by magicians in spells and charms against witchcraft. It was the plant believed to be most hated by witches, and to be rid of them one had only to hang a bunch of it in the doorway. Dill is especially popular in India and Scandinavia. The name comes from the Saxon word dilla, meaning "to lull" (the seeds were first used to soothe babies to sleep). The leaves of the plant, often called "dillweed", are used either fresh or dried as an herb, often added to hot dishes at the last minute to preserve their delicate flavor. Dill seeds, which have a strong flavor similar to those of aniseed or caraway seeds, may be used whole or ground as a spice, and are especially good at imparting their flavor to dill pickles. Because their flavors are so different, dillweed and dill seeds are not good substitutes for each other.
